Toiletry dispenser

ABSTRACT

A multi-port dispenser for flowable toiletry materials includes a housing in which a plurality of side-by-side compartments are provided to retain quantities of selected toiletry materials for desired continuous flow through pressure sensitive valves provided in the housing beneath each compartment. The housing includes a recessed front surface in which a decorative panel is removably seated so that the aesthetic appearance of the dispenser can be readily changed.

United States Patent [191 Scheeler 1 Sept. 2, 1975 i TOILETRY DISPENSER[76] Inventor: Philip K. Scheeler, 9350 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, Colo80030 [22] Filed: May 2, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 356,328

[52] U.S. Cl. ZZZ/144.5; 222/185; 222/511 [51] Int. Cl. B67d 5/60 [58]Field of Search 222/185, 181, 511, 130,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,470,049 10/1923 Barrows222/518 X 1,974,926 9/1934 Marsh 3,015,420 1/1962 Chudnow 222/14453,139,219 6/1964 Gran 222/185 X 3,391,830 7/1968 Kitchens 222/1323,587,907 6/1971 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-JamesM. Slattery 5 7] ABSTRACT A multi-port dispenser for flowable toiletrymaterials includes a housing in which a plurality of side-by-sidecompartments are provided to retain quantities of selected toiletrymaterials for desired continuous flow through pressure sensitive valvesprovided in the housing beneath each compartment. The housing includes arecessed front surface in which a decorative panel is removably seatedso that the aesthetic appearance of the dispenser can bereadily changed.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Okuda ct a]. 220/4 R PATENTEU EP 29153.902163? SHEET 2 2 TOILETRY DISPENSER The present invention relatesgenerally to dispensers for flowable materials and more particularly toa new and improved multi-port dispenser for flowable toiletry materialssuch as liquid soap, bath oil, shampoo, etc.

Inasmuch as numerous flowable materials are fre quently used inbathrooms, showers and the like, as evidenced by the number ofcontainers for these materials normally kept in the bathroom or showerstall, it is desirable that these materials be incorporated into anattractive compact housing adapted to be conveniently mounted in abathroom, shower stall or the like and with the capability ofselectively dispensing the desired material in selected quantities.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide anew and improved toiletry dispenser adapted to retain a plurality offlowable toiletry materials in a manner such that the materials can beselectively dispensed in desired quantitites.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toiletrydispenser having separate compartments in which flowable toiletrymaterials are retained and separate valve mechanisms associated witheach compartment to allow selected continuous flow of the material fromthe associated compartment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-porttoiletry dispenser having a plurality of compartments in which flowabletoiletry materials are retained and a leak-proof pressure sensitiveslide valve associated with each compartment adapted to selec' tivelycontrol the amount of material dispensed from an associated compartment.

It is still another object of the present invention-to provide amulti-port toiletry dispenser having a recessed front face in which aremovable decorative panel may be seated so that the aestheticappearance of the dispenser can be readily changed.

These and other objects of the present invention are attained with a newand improved toiletry dispenser in which segregated compartments areformed in a common housing with pressure sensitive slide valvesassociated with each compartment to selectively allow a continuousgravity flow of material from each compartment through and opening inthe bottom wall of the housing. As will be more fully appreciatedhereinafter, the housing has been designed so that the front of thehousing includes a recess for removably seating a decorative panel orthe like so that the dispensing apparatus can be made to fit the decorof any bathroom, lavitory, shower stall or the like.

More specifically, the toiletry dispenser of the present inventionincludes a generally rectangular housing havingjoined together as anintegral part of the housing compartments to define a common front panelwhich serves as a backing for the decorative panel, and unique pressuresensitive slide valves are mounted in cavities formed in unitarydownward extensions of the compartments to selectively control thegravity flow of material from an associated compartment. Each valve isoperated by a push button exposed through the front lower surface of thehousing and the push buttons are provided with suitable indicia thereonto designate the particular toiletry material to be dispensed from itsrespective compartment. In this manner the user of the apparatus isapprised of which button to depress in order to obtain a selectedmaterial. The push buttons are removable and interchangeable so thatthey can be made to correspond with any one of various materialsretained in the associated compartments.

The front of the housing has a peripheral recess therein with aninturned flange so that a decorative panel-can be removably seated inthe recess. The aesthetic appearance of the apparatus is thereby readilyinterchangeable merely by using panels having different designs, colors,etc. In this manner, the apparatus can be made to coordinate with anydecorative decor and, therefore, can become a permanent fixture in thebathroom, shower stall, lavatory or the like.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the toiletry dispenser of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded from perspective view of the toiletry dispenser ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the toiletry dispenser of FIG. 1 withparts broken away for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the toiletry dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded rear elevation of the toiletry dispenser of FIG.1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3with parts removed for clarity; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the valveassembly used in the. toiletry dis penser of FIG. 1.

The toiletry dispenser 10 of the present invention is adapted todispense flowable materials such as liquid soap, bath oil, shampoo, orthe like from a common housing or case 12 and in a manner such thatselected quantities of the flowable material can be obtained at variablerates. The housing 12 of the dispenser is best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 tocomprise a rectangular boxlike structure having a front wall 14 andopposite parallel side walls 16 extending normally away from the sideedges of the front wall in a rearward direction. Four transverselyaligned and vertically oriented material containing compartments 18 areintegrally formed in the housing. Each compartment has a front wall 20,intermediate divider and outer parallel side walls 22 and a rear wall 24spaced forwardly from the rear edges of the side walls 16 of thehousing. The outer side walls of the two outermost compartments 18 arecommon with the side walls of the housing. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and6, each compartment 18 has a unitary downward extension in the form of ahopper 26 defined by relatively steep inwardly and downwardly taperingside and front surfaces 20uand, 22a, and? forwardly tapering surfaceformed on a more gradual incline to form the bottom 24a of thecompartment so that the hopper 26 is of generally rectangular horizontalcross-section and has its apex centered between. the side walls 22 andcloser to the front wall 20 than to the rear wall 24. The hoppers 26 ofeach compartment terminate at a location spaced above the lower edge ofthe front wall I4 of the housing.

An integral boss 28 having a large frontal section 30 and a smaller rearsection 32 both of generally U- shaped transverse cross-section extendsdownwardly from the hopper bottom 26 of each compartment 18 andrearwardly from the rear surface of the front wall 14 of the housing.Each boss 28 has a horizontally extending cavity 34 therethrough adaptedto slidably receive a valve assembly 36 which will be described indetail hereinafter. The cavity 34 in each boss can be seen in FIG. 7 tohave an enlarged cylindrical rear portion 38 with a frusto-conicalportion 40 coverging forwardly from the rear portion, to communicatewith an intermediate cylindrical portion or base 42 of smaller diameterthan the rear cylindrical portion, and a front shallow cylindricalportion or counterbore 44 of larger diameter than the rear cylindricalportion in the front wall 14 of the housing. I

An inlet flow passage 46 establishes communication between the apex ofeach hopper 26 and the the frustoconical portion 40 of an associatedcavity 34 at to the rear edge of the frustoconical portion. A lowerdischarge passage 48 is offset rearwardly from the upper passage 46extends downwardly from the front lower surface of the rear cylindricalportion 38 of the cavity through the bottom surface of the rear section32 of the associated boss so as to permit selective flow from the cavity34 to the ambient environment beneath the housing. As will be describedin more detail later, the valve assembly 36 which is slidably receivedin the cav ity 34 is operative to selectively control the flow ofmaterial from the associated compartment 18, through the cavity 34, andexternally of the housing whereby selected amounts of material can bedispensed at a variable rate by the user of the apparatus.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the valve assembly 36 is seen to includean elongated body 50 of circular transverse cross-section having aprotuberance 52 at the rear end of an enlarged rear cylindrical valvebody portion 54, a frusto-conical portion 56 tapering forwardly from thecylindrical body portion 54, an intermediate cylindrical valve stemportion 58 of reduced diameter relative to the cylindribody portion 54,and a further reduced diameter front cylindrical portion 60 defining aforward extension of the intermediate cylindrical portion 58. It will beappreciated that the elongated body 50 of the valve assemblysubstantially conforms in configuration, to the cavity 34 with the outersurface of the valve body 50 being of slightly smaller diameter than thecavity so that the valve body will slide freely within the cavity.

The rear cylindrical portion 54 of the valve body has a pair of spacedexternal annular grooves 62 and 64 at opposite ends thereof to receiverubber O-rings 66 and 68, respectively, establishing fluid tight sealsbetween the valve body 50 and the wall of the cavity 34. Similarly, anannular groove 70 is provided at approximately the longitudinal centerof the intermediate cylindrical portion 58 and it too seats a rubberO-ring 72 establishing a fluid tight seal between the valve body and thewall of the cavity. The valve assembly is movable between open andclosed positions, and in the closed position shown in FIG. 6, theO-rings 66 and 72 are disposed on opposite sides of the flow passage 46from the associated compartment 18 and the O-rings 66 and 68 are onopposite sides of the discharge passage 48 so that material in thecompartment is prevented from flowing past the valve. However, rearwardsliding movement of the valve body 50 in the cavity 34 to the openposition shown in FIG. 7, shifts the O-rings 66 and 68 to a positionrearwardly of the discharge pas sage 48 and the intermediate cylindricalportion 58 of the valve moves into the frusto-conical portion 40 of thecavity so that an annular bypass passage is established around thefrusto-conical portion 56 of the valve body through which the materialcan flow. The O-ring 72 in the intermediate portion 58 of the bodyprevents the material from flowing forwardly through the cavity andthereby confines the material along a flow path extending from theassociated compartment 18 to the discharge passage 48.

A disk-shaped push-button 74 having a cylindrical recess 76 in its rearface is releasably mounted on the forward end of the valve body 50. Thecylindrical recess 76 has an internal annular groove 78 adapted to matewith an annular rib 80 on the front cylindrical portion 60 of the valvebody so that the push-button can be snapped onto the valve body. It willbe appreciated that the push-button thereby limits rearward slidingmovement of the valve body unless a large axial pulling force is appliedin a rearward direction to the valve body causing the push-button tosnap off the valve body and permitting the body to be pulled rearwardlyout of the cavity 34. To facilitate such a rearward pulling force,indentations 82, FIG. 7, are provided on opposite sides of thehemispherical end 52 of the body so that it can be gripped by a pair ofpliers or the like. Removal of the valve body, of course, would only benecessary to clean the flow passages or to replace O-rings in the eventthey became worn to the extent that they allowed leakage.

The elongated body 50 of each valve assembly is biased forwardly intoits closed position by one of a pair of leaf springs 84 seen best inFIGS. 5 through 7, which are anchored by screws 86 to a pair of bosses88 depending from the walls of adjacent hopper bottoms 26. As seen inFIG. 5, each leaf spring 84 is adapted to extend laterally across therear hemispherical end 52 of adjacent valve bodies thereby urging thebodies forwardly with the frusto-conical portion 56 of the bodies matingwith the frusto-conical portion 40 of the cavity 34 so that the flowpassage 46 from the associated compartment I8 is sealed by the O-rings66 and 72. Of course, a rearward force applied against the associatedpush-button 74 will cause the valve body to slide rearwardly in itscavity against the bias of the leaf spring 84 to open the valve allowingmaterial to flow from the associated compartment through the cavity anddischarge passage 48 as previously described. It will be appreciatedthat with the valve mechanism utilized in the dispensing apparatus ofthe present invention, the valve body 50 can be positioned at anyselected axial position relative to the'flow passage 46, so that therate at which material flows from the compartment 18 to the ambientenvironment can be regulated. In other words, the valve body can bepositioned to allow any selected rateof-flow of material from acompartment. Furthermore, the push-button can be manually retained in adepressed position so that the desired rate-of-flow is con tinuous forany period of time whereby the user of the apparatus can obtain thequantity of material desired.

A top 89 for the housing is shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 and comprises adownwardly opening, cupped body 90 having a downturned peripheral flange92 adapted to fit over the upper perimeter of the front and side walls14 and 16 respectively of the housing thereby closing the open tops ofthe compartments 18. To releasably secure the top to the housing,outwardly protruding horizontally extending ribs 94, FIG. 5, areprovided adjacent to the top of each side wall of the housing, andcomplementary horizontal ribs 96 are provided along the inner face ofthe corresponding downturned flange 92 of the top so that when the topis placed onto the housing, the ribs 96 on the top will snap over theribs 94 on the side walls of the housing to releasably retain the top onthe housing. The top portion of the top 89 has a raised gripping area 98to facilitate quick and easy removal of the top when it is desired torefill the compartments with the desired toiletry mate rials.

In order that the dispensing apparatus can be conveniently suspendedfrom a wall or other vertical surface in a bathroom, shower stall, orthe like, brackets 100 are provided along the top rear edge of each sidewall 16 of the housing 12 which extend inwardly toward each other andhave a downwardly opening notch 102 adapted to receive a nail or othersupporting hanger projecting outwardly from the wall. It should be notedthat since the rear walls 24 of the compartments 18 are situatedforwardly of the rear edges of the side walls 16 of the housing, thebrackets 100 are spaced from the rear walls 24 to allow for the head ofa nail or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, it can be appreciated that the front wall14 of the dispensing apparatus is provided with a rectangular groove 106immediately above the push-button 74, and an inturned flange 108 extendsalong opposite sides of the groove and along the bottom of the groove todefine a seat in which a removable decorative panel ll0 can be removablyretained. The decorative panel 110 would be of rectangular configurationand could be slid into the recess 106 by removing the top 89 of theapparatus and sliding the panel upwardly as illustrated by the arrow inFIG, 2. The decorative panel 110 is thereby releasably held between theinturned flange 106, 108 which is flush with the front wall 14 of thedispenser apparatus and the front common wall of the compartments 18. Bymounting the decorative panel so that it is removably retained on thehousing. it is possible to alter the aesthetic appearance of theapparatus by using a decorative panel which fits the decor of the roomin which the apparatus is used.

It is important to note that since the push-buttons 74 are merelysnapped onto the front cylindrical portion 60 of the valve bodies 50,they can carry indicia, not shown, indicative ofthe toiletry materialretained in the associated compartment and can be interchanged orreplaced at will depending upon the materials selected for the variouscompartments Although the present invention has been described with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in detailsof structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-port liquid toiletry dispenser comprising a generallyrectangular housing having front, rear and opposite side walls definingupper and lower open end portions. said housing including intermediatedivider walls extending between said front and rear housing walls inspaced parallel relation to one another and to opposite side walls forsubstantially the entire vertical distance of said housing walls todivide said housing into a plurality of liquid-containing compartments,each compartment terminating in a lower, generally funnel-shaped endportion provided with an inlet flow passage therein, a plurality ofhorizontally extending cavities in said housing in underlying verticalalignment with each of said compartments and opening through LII frontand rear surfaces of the housing, said cavities having a rearcylindrical portion, an inwardly and forwardly tapering conical surfacedefining a frustoconical portion, an intermediate cylindrical portion ofsmaller diameter than said rear cylindrical portion, and a frontcylindrical portion of larger diameter than said rear cylindricalportion, a plurality of flow passages in said housing establishing fluidcommunication between each of said compartments and the associatedunderlying cavity, a plurality of discharge passages connecting each ofsaid cavities with a bottom surface of the housing, a pressure sensitivevalve in each of said cavities slidable between open and closedpositions, said valves each having an elongated body of circulartransverse cross-section with a rear generally cylindrical portion, aforward frusto-conical extension from the rear cylindrical portion, anintermediate cylindrical forward extension from the frusto-conicalportion of smaller diameter than said rear cylindrical portion and areduced diameter front cylindrical portion defining a forward extensionfrom said intermediate cylindrical portion, a pair of spacedcircumferential grooves in said rear cylindrical portion of the body anda circumferential groove in the intermediate cylindrical portion of thebody, a seal ring in each of said grooves whereby when the rearcylindrical portion of the body is aligned with an associated dischargepassage, material will be prevented from flowing out of the associatedcompartment and when the frusto-conical portion of the body is alignedwith the associated discharge passage material will be free to flow fromthe associated compartment around the frusto-conical portion of the bodyand out of the housing through the associated discharge passage, a leafspring anchored to the rear surface of the housing between each pair ofvalve bodies, opposite ends of each leaf spring operative to urge anassociated valve body forwardly in its associated cavity and toyieldingly resist rearward sliding movement of the body, a push-buttonon the front cylindrical portion of each valve body which can bedepressed to urge said valve body against the bias of the associatedleaf spring, said housing having a rectangular recess in said frontsurface with an inturned flange along opposite sides and along thebottom of the recess, and a decorative panel removably seated in saidrecess and retained thereby by said inturned flange.

2. A multi-port liquid dispenser comprising a generally rectangularhousing having front, rear and opposite side walls defining upper andlower open end portions, said housing including intermediate dividerwalls extending between said front and rear housing walls in spacedparallel relation to one another and to opposite side walls forsubstantially the: entire vertical distance of said housing walls todivide said housing into a plurality of liquid-containing compartments,each compartment terminating in a lower, generally funnelshaped endportion provided with an inlet flow passage therein, a valve housingbeneath each said funnelshaped portion defined by a horizontallyextending cavity opening through the front wall of said housing andidsposed beneath and in fluid communication with said inlet flow passageand provided with a lower outlet passage beneath said inlet flowpassage, valve means removably disposed in each said cavity movablebetween a normally closed position interrupting fluid flow between saidinlet and outlet flow passage for each com partment and an open positionestablishing communication between said inlet and outlet passages forgravity flow of liquid material from a selected compartment through thelower open end of said housing, said valve means comprising an elongatedbody slidably disposed within each said cavity between open and closedpositions. said elongated body having a large diameter portion adaptedto block the flow of material through the associated outlet flow passagewhen said elongated body is in the closed position and a reduceddiameter portion around which the material can flow from the associatedinlet flow passage to the associated outlet flow passage when theelongated body is in the open position with the reduced diameter portionaligned with the associated inlet and outlet flow passages, andresilient means anchored to said housing engageable with said elongatedbody to yieldingly urge each said valve means to its normally closedposition, and a pushbutton secured to the forward end of said elongatedbody adjacent to said front surface of the housing whereby rearwardpressure applied to said push-button will cause said elongated body toslide against the bias of said resilient means from its closed positionto its open position.

3. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, said intermediatedivider walls each forming a common wall between adjacent compartmentsand disposed in mutually reinforcing relation to the front and rearwalls of said housing.

4. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, said lowerfunnel-shaped end portion for each compartment forming a downwardcontinuation of the front. rear and side walls of each compartment.

5. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, said front wallof said housing including an inset portion extending for the greaterlength and width of said housing downwardly from the upper end of saidhousing, and an inturned flange extending inwardly from opposite sidewalls and upwardly from the front wall portion beneath the inset portionto define a peripheral groove along three sides of the inset portion,and a decorative panel removably inserted into said grooves.

6. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, said front wallof said housing having an upper inset portion extending the greaterlength and width of said housing and provided with an outer peripheralgroove along at least two sides of said inset portion; and a dec orativepanel removably .inserted into said grooves to overlie said insetportion.

7. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 6, the upper openends of said compartments terminating flush with the uppermost edges ofthe front, rear and side walls of said housing.

1. A multi-port liquid toiletry dispenser comprising a generallyrectangular housing having front, rear and opposite side walls definingupper and lower open end portions, said housing including intermediatedivider walls extending between said front and rear housing walls inspaced parallel relation to one another and to opposite side walls forsubstantially the entire vertical distance of said housing walls todivide said housing into a plurality of liquid-containing compartments,each compartment terminating in a lower, generally funnel-shaped endportion provided with an inlet flow passage therein, a plurality ofhorizontally extending cavities in said housing in underlying verticalalignment with each of said compartments and opening through front andrear surfaces of the housing, said cavities having a rear cylindricalportion, an inwardly and forwardly tapering conical surface defining afrusto-conical portion, an intermediate cylindrical portion of smallerdiameter than said rear cylindrical portion, and a front cylindricalportion of larger diameter than said rear cylindrical portion, aplurality of flow passages in said housing establishing fluidcommunication between each of said compartments and the associatedunderlying cavity, a plurality of discharge passages connecting each ofsaid cavities with a bottom surface of the housing, a pressure sensitivevalve in each of said cavities slidable between open and closedpositions, said valves each having an elongated body of circulartransverse cross-section with a rear generally cylindrical portion, aforward frusto-conical extension from the rear cylindrical portion, anintermediate cylindrical forward extension from the frusto-conicalportion of smaller diameter than said rear cylindrical portion and areduced diameter front cylindrical portion defining a forward extensionfrom said intermediate cylindrical portion, a pair of spacedcircumferential grooves in said rear cylindrical portion of the body anda circumferential groove in the intermediate cylindrical portion of thebody, a seal ring in each of said grooves whereby when the rearcylindrical portion of the body is aligned with an associated dischargepassage, material will be prevented from flowing out Of the associatedcompartment and when the frustoconical portion of the body is alignedwith the associated discharge passage material will be free to flow fromthe associated compartment around the frusto-conical portion of the bodyand out of the housing through the associated discharge passage, a leafspring anchored to the rear surface of the housing between each pair ofvalve bodies, opposite ends of each leaf spring operative to urge anassociated valve body forwardly in its associated cavity and toyieldingly resist rearward sliding movement of the body, a push-buttonon the front cylindrical portion of each valve body which can bedepressed to urge said valve body against the bias of the associatedleaf spring, said housing having a rectangular recess in said frontsurface with an inturned flange along opposite sides and along thebottom of the recess, and a decorative panel removably seated in saidrecess and retained thereby by said inturned flange.
 2. A multi-portliquid dispenser comprising a generally rectangular housing havingfront, rear and opposite side walls defining upper and lower open endportions, said housing including intermediate divider walls extendingbetween said front and rear housing walls in spaced parallel relation toone another and to opposite side walls for substantially the entirevertical distance of said housing walls to divide said housing into aplurality of liquid-containing compartments, each compartmentterminating in a lower, generally funnel-shaped end portion providedwith an inlet flow passage therein, a valve housing beneath each saidfunnel-shaped portion defined by a horizontally extending cavity openingthrough the front wall of said housing and idsposed beneath and in fluidcommunication with said inlet flow passage and provided with a loweroutlet passage beneath said inlet flow passage, valve means removablydisposed in each said cavity movable between a normally closed positioninterrupting fluid flow between said inlet and outlet flow passage foreach compartment and an open position establishing communication betweensaid inlet and outlet passages for gravity flow of liquid material froma selected compartment through the lower open end of said housing, saidvalve means comprising an elongated body slidably disposed within eachsaid cavity between open and closed positions, said elongated bodyhaving a large diameter portion adapted to block the flow of materialthrough the associated outlet flow passage when said elongated body isin the closed position and a reduced diameter portion around which thematerial can flow from the associated inlet flow passage to theassociated outlet flow passage when the elongated body is in the openposition with the reduced diameter portion aligned with the associatedinlet and outlet flow passages, and resilient means anchored to saidhousing engageable with said elongated body to yieldingly urge each saidvalve means to its normally closed position, and a push-button securedto the forward end of said elongated body adjacent to said front surfaceof the housing whereby rearward pressure applied to said push-buttonwill cause said elongated body to slide against the bias of saidresilient means from its closed position to its open position.
 3. Amulti-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, said intermediatedivider walls each forming a common wall between adjacent compartmentsand disposed in mutually reinforcing relation to the front and rearwalls of said housing.
 4. A multi-port liquid dispenser according toclaim 2, said lower funnel-shaped end portion for each compartmentforming a downward continuation of the front, rear and side walls ofeach compartment.
 5. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2,said front wall of said housing including an inset portion extending forthe greater length and width of said housing downwardly from the upperend of said housing, and an inturned flange extending inwardly fromopposite side walls and upwardly frOm the front wall portion beneath theinset portion to define a peripheral groove along three sides of theinset portion, and a decorative panel removably inserted into saidgrooves.
 6. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 2, saidfront wall of said housing having an upper inset portion extending thegreater length and width of said housing and provided with an outerperipheral groove along at least two sides of said inset portion, and adecorative panel removably inserted into said grooves to overlie saidinset portion.
 7. A multi-port liquid dispenser according to claim 6,the upper open ends of said compartments terminating flush with theuppermost edges of the front, rear and side walls of said housing.